Critics are sure to deride the event as another example of the excesses of the art world during a dire world economic downturn.Â However, Christie’s is apparently willing to roll the dice here as their stock has fallen 85% since their peak in October 2007 with significant job cuts planned as well as their credit rating in danger of being downgraded to to junk, according to Standard & Poor’s.Â There may be a lot at stake here for the art world as well, because if this highly anticipated auction flops, buyers everywhere will become even more hesitant to invest in art.